History

History of Assistance League of Colorado Springs

Chapter History

In January 1968, National Assistance League held a coffee at the Broadmoor to promote Assistance League. Seventy local women attended, plus five from the Denver League and 10 from Pueblo.

August 1968 was the start of Assistance Guild when 22 women met and elected officers. Our Denver counselors advised our chapter to make Operation School Bell® its philanthropic focus. Denver also recommended Operation School Bell be funded by opening a thrift shop called Bargain Box.

In July 1969, the Guild was recognized as a tax exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

On November 18, 1970, the Guild was chartered as the 32nd chapter of National Assistance League.

The Pikes Peak Auxiliary was started in early 1995 and continued through mid-2016.

Real Estate

Chapter meetings started at the Girls Club on S. Tejon, then a bank at Union and Platte.

In 1969, the chapter opened the Bargain Box in a small rental house on S. Tejon. After several moves, the chapter purchased the building at 211 E. Costilla in 1976. With an addition and modifications completed in 1983, this served as the Box and Operation School Bell home for 38 years.

Assistance League of Colorado Springs purchased the Chapter Service Center in 1989 and the parking lot in 1991.

In 2009, land was purchased for a building to house all chapter activities. The land was sold in 2012 and the Pettigrew Auction House on 405-409 S. Nevada was purchased and renovated.

In 2014 the new Bargain Box opened at 405 S. Nevada. In 2016, the attached building at 409 S. Nevada was renovated for increased storage.